This essay provides one explanation as to why Trump had a significant following in the 2024 election. In the past eight months, there's been massive firings of civil service workers, dismantling of government agencies, disruption of former world allies, economic vulnerability , defunding of universities and science, attacks on news, political figures and former presidents , a sadistic assault on people of color, sending them to horrible imprisonment locations and of course the terrible bill passed by the GOP Congress. Although recent polls suggest that the majority of citizens oppose these policies, a significant number around 40% or so still support him .
From a psychological point of view, the significance of anxiety and fear reproducing infantile and child experiences result in dynamics that are seen and repeated in adult behavior. Anxiety is a repeated prototype and also associated with dependence, helplessness and isolation which began with the trauma of birth. Humans, as a species, remain dependent on another for survival. The dog, cat or horse are examples of initial dependence on the mother and then seem to rapidly become more and more independent within their development. It's not so for humans.
The newborn, because of its physiology, begins life with a symbiotic relationship with the mother caretaker. Further, around six months or so, the child begins to separate himself from his mother, as evidenced by separation anxiety with its crying and fussing actions whenever the mother leaves . Because, all the infants-child care, comfort, safety and security provided by that mother figure becomes threatened . This dynamic occurrence becomes repeated and reinforced over and over again. In other words, the mother represents and fulfills the child's physiological and psychological needs which becomes threatened with separation..
During child development, the father also becomes an important identification figure with the introjections. In fact, the father not only represents safety, security and comfort but omnipotent power and control as in the "King of the Castle." The child learns how to please his powerful father and loving mother by receiving their love, nurturance and affection and also learns about fear and hatred through their anger and punishment which is a loss of love by actions that displease the parents. Love, fear and hate are established early psychologically. In other words, on one hand, the child experiences insecurity, loneliness, powerlessness and separation that can be modified by union, identification and introjection with that powerful mother and/or father figure. This occurs with positive reinforcement and results in the fulfillment of the unconscious formula or prototype dynamic that becomes repeated not only in childhood but throughout one's life. In essence, the need for protection and security occurs from all the reoccurrences of environmental, cultural, and human hazards that threaten survival. It's a survival of the fittest ,but only with affiliation which is unconsciously the father, mother protectors. Also, reality and comfort demands can be assisted by other significant associations and unions .
During childhood, a child learns and develops a conscience and language including other cognitive developments. For example, the child learns from a moral point of view of what's right and wrong based on the child's actions , with rewards or punishments plus overhearing conversations, remarks and behavior made by an authoritarian father,mother and family on a wide range of subjects. A child essentially learns the attitudes of parents pertaining to money, religion , politics , education, health, play, sex, and so forth.
Clearly, the child learns and believes everything the parental figures had to say as truth, goodness and righteousness . Their word is truth and their actions are the law. A child's perception and beliefs are that the parents are infinitely knowledgeable in their words, remarks and their sayings are to be revered. The parental figures are so knowing, so wise and as a result become the remembered law.
Early on, one's moral, ethical attitudes are formed and based on what they've learned from their parents.and family Because of their limited capacity and knowledge about the world, they are not, at that point ,in their development able to challenge what they've heard and witnessed. The teachings, ethics and learning become embedded in their unconscious and conscious memory. These various memories become the guides for later action.
Today's economic, social, religious, political, and hazards of nature are associated with pleasure, frustration, conflict, hardship and pain . Man generally seeks pleasure and attempts to avoid pain from an emotional point of view, it's obvious that some individuals have done quite well in their quest for survival, while others not so well.
There are too many individuals experiencing an inordinate amount of frustration, conflict,anger,pain,and unhappiness related to economics, politics, health ,ideology and morality resulting in the unconscious, feelings of anxiety, threat, powerlessness, isolation and impotency. These psychic dynamics ,which occurred in childhood, are repeated throughout life. When these emotional threats occur, there's an unconscious urgent tendency to return for relief, comfort, safety to a father, mother protector .Therefore, one seeks a “protector” to provide ,comfort.and to reduce that anxiety, threat, fear and insecurity.
The smart powerful ruling class use fear as a primary tactic to continue their oppression and rule over this socioeconomically class of individuals. In essence, various measures taken by the elite power is simply to maintain that omnipotence and control and to strengthen their hold on the infantile psychic dependency of the masses. As a result the powerful elite impose and also become that necessary “father” protective figure. It's clear and obvious that the power structure intimidates the masses intellectually and emotionally to keep them infantile and docile. Further, the powerful also offers the masses other measures of satisfaction that makes life tolerable for them, preventing some from attempting to change their position from that of the obedient son to that of rebellious son.
It's evident that in religion, politics and economics that the powerful employ various fearful strategies that result in a re-emergence ,for many ,of their infantile dependency needs in the search for protection from a strong, wise, authoritarian,controlling father figure. Powerful threats of fear, danger, murder, rapists, loss of jobs , evil, inflation, socialists, Democrats are in Trump’s rhetoric and generalizations. He’s the only one that's going to make it better. I can protect you from the immigrants, I can lower the cost of living, I'm going to make America Great Again . These socioeconomically deprived , idolize, obedient know that disapproval results in loss of love, protection, rejection and abandonment .
A fantasy is a wish fulfillment and with repeated use of the words and lies that fantasy becomes real. Trump asserts fantasy and his reality becomes their reality. Like father, Trump is wise, powerful ,right and superior on all subjects . He can do no wrong.
The objective reality doesn’t matter because Trump is their reality . A few of the myths and illusions perpetuated by Trump's GOP are as follows:1. Pres. Obama did not have a legitimate birthright. It didn't matter that Trump had no solid evidence as his word was the truth. 2. Hillary Clinton's improper emails 3.Non Russian involvement in the 2016 election 4. The 2020 election was fraudulent. 5. The January 6 rioters were patriots. It didn't matter to the faithful followers because his words were all that was necessary. In essence, the fact that Trump is a pathological liar does not faze the belief of his followers. So whatever he says, whatever he does is true, right ,legitimate and moral.
Trump’s followers also include big tech ,Wall Street ,mega church groups, Congress , Supreme Court and social media giving him a powerful consensus .
Perhaps the Epstein coverup might awaken some from their psychic paralysis. From Trump's point of view ,pictures can be altered and a witchhunt promoted. All the lies, contradictions, half-truths, deflections and other outlandish distractions have worked brilliantly for him. His beliefs ,words, actions are truth within an illusionary reality. Historically, some of our most powerful individuals ,of their time , have fallen prematurely, Moses never saw the promised land., Jesus was crucified, Alexander was poisoned,Julius Caesar assisanted, Cleopatra suicide ,Napoleon exiled , Mussolini killed ,and Hitler by suicide . However, the Trump story continues.
In conclusion, the psychological reality for the devoted is based on their reenactment of their infantile dependency needs and not based on objectivity, intelligence, experience or reality . Like a father protector , the admired Trump can do no wrong and will make things significantly better in the eyes of the helpless children .
